Book #1: Suzy's Dream (Chapter 5 - Part 4)

 Chapter 5 continued...

“I prefer to warn you straight away, Mademoiselle, that I can only accept propositions that are very…understated because they are lessons for children whose work does not require much of the teacher's talent. In addition, the people who have already been sent to me have not been very demanding in their requests.”

Suzy looked bewildered at the elegant young woman who was speaking like this, in the middle of this luxurious room where the smallest trinkets were expensive objects. A frank retort crossed her mind, invading her with a bitter feeling of contempt.

Fortunately, a discreet knock at the door of the drawing room stopped all words on Suzy’s lips.

“Who is it?” Madame de Vricourt said impatiently. “Come in.”

The footman appeared in the half-opened doors.

“Madame's carriage is on its way.”

“Good, well,” she said. “I'm busy. You mustn't disturb me.”

She turned back to Suzy, who was waiting, as unyielding as a young fighting cock.

“Ah, I forgot, Mademoiselle,” she continued. “Before we discuss any arrangements, let me ask a question. Do you sight-read well? I absolutely require it, especially for my eldest daughter, who is already somewhat strong in that.”

“I read music very easily, Madame,” Suzy said, resigned to this questioning.

“Good! Then, would it be too much to take advantage of your kindness and beg you to be good enough to sight-read a few lines in my presence? My request may seem strange to you, but I’d like to see for myself.”

A flash lit up Suzy's eyes, and the blood in her veins ran quickly.

Madame de Vricourt spoke without any hurtful intention. But as she’d said, “She wanted to see for herself.” At that moment she had the air of a businessman discussing a business.

“I am at your disposal, Madame,” Suzy replied.

Madame de Vricourt bowed her head a little, and the shadow of a smile thawed her lips.

“I thank you for your good grace, Mademoiselle.”

Quickly, with a feverish gesture, Suzy took off her gloves and, standing haughtily upright, she waited by the piano, while Madame de Vricourt took a music book and opened it at random.

Suzy drew closer to the woman and glanced at the music.

“I know this Prelude by Chopin, Madame, and I cannot, by playing it, show you how I sight-read,” she said in her fresh girlish voice with a proud resonance to her tone. “Will you allow me to choose another?”

An expression of embarrassment passed over the face of Madame de Vricourt. 

“I’ll leave it absolutely up to you, Mademoiselle,” she said, recovering quickly.

“Well, here is a page which is quite unknown to me.”

Suzy sat down at the piano. As soon as her fingers touched the instrument, all the painful agitation that had upset her disappeared as the music awakened in her an intense enjoyment.

Although she didn’t know the page placed before her eyes, a wonderful intuition guided her. Under her fingers the chords fell with deep organ tones, interrupting with the low notes that created the plaintive and tormented harmony of the song.

As she played, Suzy suddenly forgot of the environment in which she found herself. She played without even noticing that beside her stood a young woman who enveloped her in a look of almost jealous curiosity. Scarcely listening, Madame de Vricourt fixed her eyes on Suzy’s enchanting profile, whose grave and collected expression at that moment contrasted with the youthful delicacy of the lines of music. 

“Well done! My dear, it's a crime that you don’t play more often,” a male voice said. “Congratulations!”

M. de Vricourt, having opened the door, appeared in the drawing room. He stood astounded before Suzy as she rose from the piano, her lips still trembling with emotion.

He greeted her, stunned. His wife turned to him. She seemed annoyed by his admiration, and a slight crease furrowed her forehead.

“I am sorry, my friend, that I have no right to your praise,” Suzy said. “But I’ll kindly pass them on to the right people.” 

“Mademoiselle came on behalf of Madame de Guernes,” Madame de Vricourt explained to her husband with an imperceptible hint of haughtiness. “Mademoiselle is offering lessons for the children, and I asked her to allow me to judge her talent, which is indeed very beautiful.

One would have said that she was pronouncing this praise with regret, compelled only by necessity.

“But, my dear,” said M. de Vricourt, astonished. “Did I not hear you declare this morning that you had at last come to an arrangement with someone else. In fact, an excellent teacher, who, moreover, was in some need of finding pupils.”

His wife made a gesture of impatience.

“I know very well what I said. But it’s always possible to go back on something thought final, to find a reason, and if Mademoiselle's playing suited me better, well...”

All the delicacy, the proud uprightness of Suzy carried her away to a thoughtless impulse.

“Oh, Madam, I would never consent to take the place of another individual under these conditions. That would be wrong!”

A fleeting flush ran over Mme. de Vricourt’s face. She raised an irritated glance towards the young girl, then lowered it before the flame of reproach sparkling in Suzy's eyes.

“Rest assured, Mademoiselle,” she said, her voice biting, almost aggressive. “I have no intention of putting your conscience to such a test. I only wanted to make sure that Madame de Guernes's recommendation was justified to be able to use your services on occasion. But, in fact, my arrangements are made, and I think it best not to change anything.”

The two women stood near each other, Suzy towering a whole head over this sickly-looking little woman, whom she crushed with the splendor of her beautiful youth. Madame de Vricourt perhaps felt it. She moved away from Suzy and, taking her notebook and gloves from the table, exited to the salon next door.

“I do not wish to take up any more of your time, Mademoiselle, and thank you for putting me in a position to hear your playing,” Madame de Vricourt said, with a slight nod of her head in farewell.

She opened the door of her apartment without seeming to think in the least of accompanying Suzy out the door. M. de Vricourt no doubt noticed this, for he came forward and opened the door of the drawing room for Suzy.

His attitude was cold but courteous. He treated Suzy as a woman of the world, not as a humble salaried teacher or receiving her as an inferior. 

For a minute a peace took hold of her, and suddenly all her delicate kindness overcame her, inspiring her with regret at having hurt Mme. de Vricourt by her too frank answer. She could never bear to have someone angry with her.

As M. de Vricourt accompanied her to the threshold of the apartment, she stopped, suddenly becoming little Suzy of Le Castel again. 

“I fear that I offended Mme. de Vricourt a moment ago. If this is so, will you, Sir, beg her to believe that I’m remorseful in having done so?” Suzy said anxiously, using one of her spontaneous responses that lent her so much charm.

M. de Vricourt gave a surprised look and a gesture of polite denial.

“Please, Mademoiselle, do not trouble yourself about this little and unimportant incident which Madame de Vricourt provoked.”

His tone was so indifferent that it chilled Suzy. Without another word, she bowed her head and went out, eager to hear the door of this inhospitable dwelling close behind her.

End of Chapter 5

Le rêve de Suzy is in the public domain. All original additions, including translations, illustrations and chapter summaries, are copyright © 2025 by Marriah K. Nissen and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. All rights reserved.